Royal jelly: James Gillray's A Voluptuary Under the Horrors of Digestion

This satirical 1792 print showing a bloated George, 'prince of whales', sends up a sovereign much mocked for his lavish lifestyle

George, prince of Wales, later to rule as George IV, was a patron of the arts who created an Orientalist fantasy world in the Royal Pavilion at Brighton – and was mocked for his lavish lifestyle. Gillray portrays him picking his teeth after a typically abundant meal. Looking at the Brighton Pavilion’s domed dining room, decorated with flying dragons and served by a superbly equipped kitchen, it's clear Gillray is not exaggerating the lavish dining habits of the man they called the 'prince of whales'
Illustration: Trustees of the British Museum